Marvel Comic Exklusiv #13
Marvel Comic Exklusiv #13 brought Charles Vess's acclaimed Spider-Man graphic novel 'Spirits of the Earth' to German-speaking readers for the first time, presenting Peter Parker and Mary Jane Watson-Parker against a folkloric Scottish backdrop in a prestige format that was rare for translated Marvel material at the time. The Condor album format gave German fans access to a story widely praised for Vess's painterly artwork and its literary approach to Spider-Man storytelling, distinguished from conventional superhero fare. As part of the Marvel Comic Exklusiv line — Condor's flagship prestige imprint — this issue helped establish that German-market reprints could match the quality ambitions of their US graphic novel counterparts.
"Im Reich der Nebelgeister" is a standout tale in Marvel Comic Exklusiv #13 (1991), where Peter and Mary Jane venture to a Scottish estate left to her by a mysterious aunt, only to find themselves drawn into the eerie legends of the Highlands. Written by Charles Vess and Michael Nagula, with full art, inks, and colors by Vess, the story blends folklore and suspense as the couple uncovers a hidden threat beneath the misty moors—without revealing its true nature. The lush, atmospheric visuals by Charles Vess on the cover and throughout make this a striking entry in the series.
Find on ebay
Sell my copy
Have this issue — or a whole collection? Get a fair offer from us, skip the marketplace fees and the hassle.
We Buy Collections ▸History
Condor Verlag had held the German Marvel license since 1979, inheriting it from Williams Verlag, and by the late 1980s had developed the Marvel Comic Exklusiv series as a softcover album format for self-contained prestige stories. Issue #13 reprinted 'Spider-Man: Spirits of the Earth,' originally published by Marvel in 1990 as a hardcover graphic novel written and illustrated by Charles Vess, whose extensive research trips to Scotland informed the story's setting and visual texture. The series ran from 1987 to 1993, placing this album solidly in the middle of Condor's most active period as Marvel's German publisher.
Trivia · 8 facts
- German-language reprint of the US graphic novel 'Spider-Man: Spirits of the Earth' (Marvel, 1990), published by Condor Verlag in 1991 as issue #13 of the Marvel Comic Exklusiv series.
- Story and art by Charles Vess; the original US graphic novel was written and illustrated entirely by Vess, who drew on personal trips to Scotland for the settings.
- Title translated as 'Die Spinne: Im Reich der Nebelgeister' — Spider-Man: In the Realm of the Wraiths — localizing Condor's established German name for Spider-Man ('Die Spinne').
- Published in softcover album format, consistent with the Marvel Comic Exklusiv line's prestige presentation throughout its 1987–1993 run.
- The Marvel Comic Exklusiv series was Condor's dedicated imprint for self-contained, high-format Marvel stories and ran for at least 22 issues.
- The same source material was reprinted internationally in 1991: in French by Semic (Top BD #23) and in Portuguese by Editora Abril (Graphic Marvel #10), underscoring the story's international appeal.
- The original US graphic novel was later collected in 'Spider-Man: The Graphic Novels' (Marvel, 2012) and the 'Amazing Spider-Man Epic Collection' Vol. 21 (Marvel, 2016).
- Condor Verlag (also known as Condor-Interpart/ConPart Verlag) held the German Marvel license from 1979 until the early 1990s, when Panini eventually took over German Marvel publishing.
Cast · 11 characters
Full credits
Full plot ⚠ may contain spoilers
▸ Reveal full plot — may contain spoilers
Nachdem eine Tante von Mary Jane ihr Anwesen in Schottland an ihre Nichte vererbt, beschließen Peter und Mary Jane, eine zweite Hochzeitsreise zu unternehmen und das Land zu reisen um die rechtlichen Sachen zu klären. Dort wird die Spinne in die Untersuchung der mysteriösen Erscheinungen von Feen und Geistern hineingezogen, nur um eine viel weltlichere Bedrohung zu entdecken, die sich unter dem Hochland versteckt.
Plot details indexed by the Grand Comics Database (CC BY-SA).
Reviews
Reader reviews
No reader reviews yet.